Monday, October 25, 2010

Message in a Dream or Coincidence?

Feeling exhausted from the onset of cold, I went to bed early on Erev Shabbos. On Shabbos morning, I woke up early and learned the halacha in Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 192:1 that states, "If a person has a headache he should view it as if he were put in chains. If he becomes ill and confined to his bed, he should view it as if he were placed onto a scaffold for trial. Anyone who is placed onto the scaffold for trial, if he has great advocates, may be saved. But if he has none, he cannot be saved."

My constant hacking cough persisted through Shabbos and left me feeling extremely weak by Sunday evening. On Sunday night, I had a dream in which I was walking through a non-Jewish neighborhood. As I made my way down the streets, I noticed a group of men following me. I tried to evade them, but eventually they caught up with me and confronted me, "Who do you think you are to wear that thing on your head in this neighborhood?", they asked. I explained to them that my yarmulke was not worn as a brazen display to offend them, rather it was something that I, as a Jew, wore to display my allegiance to God.

Not caring for my answer, the men quickly found a rope to place around my neck. They hoisted me up over their shoulders and went looking for beam in which to tie the other end of the rope to.

....and then I woke up.

A few hours later, I sat down with my seforim and continued my slow-pace learning of Tanya. I was given pause when I came across a teaching in Chapter 6 that dealt with the capacity of every Jew for surrendering himself before G-d, through martyrdom for the sanctification of G-d's name. Although I could not decipher what the message was for me, it certainly seemed that there was a connection between the timing of my learning these teachings in Kitzur Shulchan Aruch and Tanya and that of my dream.

I know that the skeptic will claim that all of this is merely a coincidence. However, the word "coincidence" is not a word that is in my vocabulary.

There was an interesting ma’amor from the Alter Rebbe and the Rebbe for the past parsha connected with the concept of Ahavah Mesuteres. If you go to Otzar770.com (you may have to use Internet Explorer), select Mamorim, Melukat Daled, page 43, you will see it (V’Isha Achas).